Wednesday, May 2, 2012

NB of the Week

DC's Second Wave
(Or at lest 2 of them...)
DC comics cancelled six of their non-selling comics and started six more this month. Four of those six came out today and I bought two. Both were great but one definitely stood out.
-AND YES, SPOILS ABOUND-

Dial H #1 - What's the 411?
China Mieville is an award-winning author from England. He is very smart and his writing is a bit intimidating at times (look him up). Dial H is a concept wherein somebody "dials in" to a device that gives them new powers (and identities) with each use. Put the two together and you get what could become a great ride. Nelson is a fat, outta shape dude but when he comes across his friend Darren being beat on, he tries to help. After being knocked around and somehow into a phone booth, he tries dialing for help. What he got was the new form of the "hero" Boy Chimney. Saving Darren and taking him to the hospital, Nelson learns his friend is in bigger trouble and maybe that phone booth is his solution.
Mieville does something here that I was very surprised to see and that channel the past. This book reads like one of those 80s, British written books that were so ground-breaking back then. Morrison's Animal Man and Doom Patrol, Gaiman's Sandman, Moore's Swamp Thing and Miracle Man. This book read as those did. Great story, weird set-up and characters and full of intrigue that will keep bringing me back.

Earth 2 #1 - The Price of Victory
Earth 2 is different from ours in one major way: Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are dead. They died ending the Apokolips War. As they fight off the Parademons, Batman has a solution. A virus that will shut down their beacon towers which supply energy and commands to the Parademons. Once they are shut down, the Demons will literally fall from the sky. As he makes his way to upload it, Supes and WW must fend off the horde. Alas, there was just too many as Wonder Woman is killed by their leader, Steppenwolf, and Superman is taken out after being swarmed by the Demons. Batman is all that's left and he knows it wont last. He knows that after uploading the virus, he will die along with the first tower. His daughter and Supergirl follow a figure through a boom-tube portal (their adventure continues in World's Finest #1, also out today) and we are brought into current time, five years later. We get a quick scene of Alan Scott that will certainly lead into other things and are just as quickly moved to Jay Garrick as his college girl leaves him. As he sits, wondering what he is to do with his life, the God Mercury falls down to him, telling him a greater evil is coming and that a hero is needed.
This is the team book that I had hoped Justice League would be. What little team dynamic we did get was still great and you still felt each death of the big three even though we didn't know these versions. If you have read James Robinson's Starman, then you will love his take on the Society team.

Very promising starts to another round of books from the new DCU. If you found a bit lacking from he first wave, this is another great spot to jump on. Different than what they've given us so far and yet close enough that you can follow every bit. Definitely worth the shots.